“Bust a nut?” Cole asked around a chuckle. “Do tell how Asher taught you how to bust a nut.”

“Grab, squeeze, and twist.”

“Grab, squeeze, and twist,” Cole repeated. “That’ll do it.”

“I’m not fond of the twisting part until they pop,” I informed Cole. “But I’m less fond of being—”

“Baby,” Asher cut me off.

“Holy shit,” Cole sputtered. “But the popping part’s the best.”

What?

“Cole,” Asher warned.

“Brother, she opened the door. Not only that she walked right through it,” Cole returned.

I what?

“What’s he talking about?”

For some reason my question made all three men burst out laughing. It took longer than it should’ve for realization to dawn, but when it did I felt my cheeks heat until they were ready to catch fire.

Bust a nut.

Did I seriously say that?

“I didn’t…” I started but faltered. “That’s not…” Another start and stop. “Not that kind of nut-busting.”

Cole howled. Wilson chuckled. Asher smiled.

“Seriously?” I snapped. “How old are you?”

“A man is never too old to laugh at a good nut joke,” Cole informed me.

“He’s not wrong.” Wilson smiled.

“Well, if you don’t stop laughing at me you might find yourself busting a nut.”

“That will never fucking happen,” Asher growled.

My gaze slowly moved through Wilson and Cole until it landed on Asher.

“How do you know I wasn’t talking to you? You’re laughing at me right along with them.”

“Good Lord,” Cole boomed. “I might not bust a nut but I’m gonna bust a gut.”

“No one’s busting a nut,” Asher announced.

That was when I lost it and joined in the laughter.

Wilson smiled at me and my nerves started to settle.

More sadness crept over me unexpectedly. Elise would love these guys’ sense of humor. Out of the two of us, she was the funny one. She was the one with the quick comeback. I was the sidekick, the wingwoman, the one along for the ride. Back before Elise went missing I might’ve been wild and crazy but she was wilder, crazier, she was up for anything while I had my limits.

Asher’s laughter faded as did his smile. I felt his hand hit my thigh, his fingers softly curled in, then he gave me a gentle squeeze. Which left me wondering what I had done in my life that was so horrible the universe would put Asher in my path only to take him away. What had I done to deserve to have all that was him dangled in front of me during the shittiest time in my life?

He had all the makings of perfection, but I’d never know the reality of him.

My ringing phone cut off my musing and plunged the rest of the room into silence, evaporating the happy vibe.

“I should get that.”

I leaned to the side to grab my phone out of my back pocket which brought me closer to Asher. His head was turned to the side, his eyes tipped down. Mine tipped up, and when our eyes collided I found it hard to breathe. It wasn’t his good looks that stole my breath, it wasn’t the remnants of his cologne, it wasn’t his lips being close to mine. It was his understanding gaze. It was the mutual desire, the knowledge that we both felt the same puzzling pull of the other. But it was also the melancholy.